The School Bus Deal
by TheYoungestCrazySister
Summary: A gift for my new friend Sam. The School Bus Massacre Revisited with an OC of mine: Regan Bates, a punk girl with whom Rhonda shares a close friendship. When Macy makes an insulting comment on Regan's family, the girl embarrasses her in return, which leads to her and Rhonda being invited to the rock quarry. Read to find what happens next.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This is a fic dedicated to my new epic friend Sam (BackgroundRobot- 11), who is a fan of Trick 'r Treat, much like myself. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1: All Hallow's Morning

"Right, class. Today, a certain term paper was due. Anybody remember what it was?" Ms. Bollocks, a tall teacher with bleach-blonde hair asked, a brow arched. A girl in the front row raised her hand, a small smirk on her perfect pink lips.

"Yes, Macy?"

"We were supposed to write a report on decomposition." Macy replied, flipping some silvery-blonde hair over her shoulder. Most of the class looked at ease, but a couple of teens looked troubled. It was clear that they had forgotten completely about the assignment. It was understandable; it was Halloween morning, after all. The local school didn't allow students to change into costumes until after lunch, but many people had been so excited, they'd forgotten all about the assignment.

Besides, who looks forward to writing three pages on decomposition and the stages of rotting?

"Exactly. Kids, please pass your homework to the person in front of you. People in the front-" She held her hands out like an eagle reaching for a rodent, "If you please."

Silence ruled the classroom, cracked only by the sounds of paper against skin. No one dared disobey Ms. Bollocks; she was known for keeping kids in detention until 9 p.m. As her teal eyes searched for the students' names on the front pages, she frowned. Everyone held their breath.

Not a good sign.

"Some people are missing papers." She said in a soft voice that boomed through the room. The woman placed the assignments on her desk before consulting a clipboard with everyone's names on it.

"Let's see...we are missing the homework of..." She looked up, her eyes flashing dangerously, "Cornelia Daniels?"

"Um..." A short, stocky girl with a mop of curly black hair shrank in her seat, "See ma'am, it went like this. My brother forgot to feed my dog Spike and-"

"F."

The class gaped at the teacher's bluntness. Cornelia's eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets, "F?"

"F." Ms. Bollocks repeated, "Get it in your skulls: vacations are over, people! _Way_ over!"

Cornelia groaned and slammed her head against her desk. The person sitting next to her patted her shoulder sympathetically while the teacher continued, "Next...Simon Boggs?"

A freckle-faced boy sighed, "Just flunk me already."

"Very well. F."

Simon grimaced and studied his pencil-case while several kids snickered.

"And finally..." Ms. Bollocks sighed, dropping the clipboard, "Regan Bates."

The door swung open, "Present!" Despite the heavy atmosphere that had hovered in the air seconds earlier, the teenagers broke into a chorus of laughter. Regan grinned (which clashed somewhat with her black-rimmed eyes, Maleficent T-shirt, combat boots, and shredded black skirt) and strolled inside, "Happy Halloween, everyone!"

"Regan!" Ms. Bollocks snapped, "Class started eight minutes ago."

"Sorry." Regan held up her green-manicured hands in surrender, "My dad's car crashed. Again."

"Well," Ms. Bollocks straightened so much, it looked like a ruler had been taped to her spine, "That car _is_ always breaking down. But that is still no excuse to arrive late." She sighed, "I'm going to have to give you a note. Do you have your term paper?"

"Which?" Regan frowned, then brightened, "Oh! The one about rotting? Sure, right here." She dumped her coffin-shaped handbag right on top of Macy's textbook, making the girl lean backwards in disgust. Several kids chuckled silently as the punk girl dumped a Blackberry, mascara, a half-eaten Pop Tart, and a troll doll on Macy's desk. The blonde girl's pale face was steadily going redder, but Regan took no notice. She smiled and pulled out a perfect, flawless, five-page report. She handed it to Ms. Bollocks, "Here you go."

"Thank you." The teacher took it, staring at the teenager. In all honesty, she'd expected Regan to forget all about it. Of all the high-schoolers, she and her friend Rhonda Wiggins loved Halloween the most. Every day of October, they always made it painfully clear that All Hallow's Eve was arriving. They hardly seemed to pay attention half the time in class, and more than once, they'd missed school to carve pumpkins or design their costumes.

Regan beamed and collected her things. Ms. Bollocks handed her a note, "This is your last warning, Bates. If you're tardy one more time, I'll have to call your father in."

"If he's not too drunk to attend." Macy whispered to Sara. The two girls giggled, as did a couple of other kids. Regan's cheeks flushed, and the note in her hand crumpled, "Alright." She stiffly walked to her desk, dumping her handbag in the corner. Rhonda glanced at her through a curtain of brown hair, "You okay?"

"Sure." Regan nodded, giving her friend a weak smile.

* * *

The morning dragged on. Regan tried not to let Macy's words bother her, but she couldn't help it. True, her father was an alcoholic, but he wasn't violent or aggressive. He was just drowsy and sensitive. Sure, she had to do all the housework and make sure he didn't go too far, but he had a good reason. Regan's mother had fallen for another man; one who owned three-quarters of Indianapolis.

Regan shoved these thoughts as far away as she could from her mind as the bell rang, announcing lunch. She sighed in relief and ran a hand through her short, dark brown hair. Smiling at Rhonda to assure her that she was alright, she linked her arm with her friend's and led her to the noisy lunchroom.

Once there, the two girls collected their corndogs, apples, and milk cartons. They sat at their table: the one near the doorway, where no one ever sat. As they ate, they discussed their costumes, of course. "How's your witch costume coming along?" Regan asked, slurping from her carton. Rhonda looked at her with speckled jade eyes and smiled shyly, "Done."

Regan smiled, "Good. Mine's almost done." She rolled her cloudy-gray eyes, "Who'd think a priest costume would be so hard?"

Rhonda shrugged and sipped some milk. Regan gently bumped her shoulder against her friend's before reaching for her corndog. As she prepared to take a bite, though, she caught sight of Macy and her horde of followers, both male and female. She looked perfect: slim, blonde, and beautiful. Regan was the opposite: robust, olive-skinned, and plain. Remembering Macy's words made anger bubble in the punk's chest.

"Wait here." She instructed Rhonda. Then, she took her carton and tossed the straw aside. She marched towards Macy, who immediately smirked at her unexpected guest.

"Hey, Bates." Macy held up an empty soda can, "Want to fill this with brandy and take it home to Dad?" Schrader, one of the nicer boys in school, gave her a look, "Macy, come on. That's enough."

"No, no. No problem, Schrader. Hey, Macy?" She splashed her unfinished milk in the girl's face, "Got milk?"

Macy breathed deeply.

Regan crushed the empty carton with her hands and tossed it away, "That's for my father." She added, "And quit calling Rhonda an idiot savant."

Without waiting for an answer, she walked back to her table.


	2. Chapter 2: All Hallow's Tale

Chapter 2: All Hallow's Tale

"And...done!" Regan grinned that evening, examining her reflection in Rhonda's mirror. After failing to pull off the priest costume, she'd decided to go for something simpler. Now, she was dressed like a maniac: her dark brown hair had been gelled and spiked in every direction, and she'd found an extra-large white sweater and sewn the holes for her hands closed.

Rhonda smiled, "You're pretty."

"Aww, thanks." Regan beamed. She crashed in her favorite armchair, "So, witch, what do we do now? It's Samhain. The world's our oyster."

Rhonda shrugged and opened her mouth to speak. But something caught her eyes. Frowning slightly, she walked to her window. Regan arched a brow and rose, craning her neck to get a look.

Nothing could've surprised her more: four kids were standing in front of Rhonda's house. She immediately recognized Macy, Sara, and Schrader. The fourth child was a short, chubby boy dressed like a pirate. Regan chewed her lip, as she always did when she was in thought. Why had they come? Had Schrader dragged Macy here to apologize for her behavior? Or did he want to scold Regan for her own behavior?

Whatever the case, Rhonda stepped outside, closing the door behind her. Regan watched worriedly as her friend waved at the intruders. The fat boy, Sara, and Macy left at the sight of Rhonda. As they did, Regan saw Macy turn to Schrader and smirk before pulling her mask over her face. It was only then that Regan noticed the blonde's costume: an angel. She laughed to herself. How lame can you get?

Rhonda and Schrader spoke for a minute, Regan watching intently. Finally, Rhonda turned around and gestured for Regan to leave the house. When the punk girl tilted her head, Rhonda repeated the action, more urgently this time. The teen sighed and yanked the door open, "What's up?"

"Schrader invited us to a journey, but he doesn't know where." Rhonda explained, her pale hands clutching a jack-o-lantern, "They need five of our pumpkins."

Regan blinked, then exploded, "No. No way. We are **_not_ **hanging out with them."

"But-"

"Rhonda, Macy teased my dad this morning. Do you _really_ think I wanna spend Samhain with her?"

"But Schrader's nice." Rhonda said, like that solved everything. Regan stared at her friend, searching her expression. Rhonda was so innocent, it touched her heart. The brunette never asked for anything; how could she say no to the one request Rhonda have ever made her?

But Macy was involved. It couldn't be good.

She sighed and held her hands up, "Fine. But," Regan said quickly before her friend could celebrate, "But if anything happens, we're leaving."

"Okay." Rhonda nodded.

* * *

The six kids trudged away from the safety of their town, venturing deeper and deeper into the night. They marched through the pumpkin patch like ghosts, then into a small wood. Macy took the lead, her angel costume glowing softly in the darkness. Schrader followed, pushing a trolley with eight jack-o-lanterns inside. Regan and Sara walked side by side, refusing to speak to each other. Rhonda and the chubby boy (who'd introduced himself as Chip) lagged at end. Rhonda pulled a little red wagon behind her.

Chip grinned at her, "You must really like Halloween."

"You mean Samhain?" Rhonda spoke, not looking at him.

"W-what?"

"Samhain, also known as All Hallow's Eve, also known as Halloween. The Celtic holiday predating Christianity was celebrated on the one night between autumn and winter when the barrier between the living and dead was thinnest and often involved rituals of human sacrifice." Rhonda explained patiently, never missing a beat. Regan beamed in pride and glanced over her shoulder.

Chip looked ready to wet himself.

For the first time since they'd left the house, Rhonda looked at him, "I like your eye-patch." Regan bit back a chortle as the group reached the end of the wood, the night sky opening in front of them. They walked a few more feet, the fog clinging to their ankles like wool. Regan looked around and realized that they were standing in...

"Great. A rock quarry." Schrader spoke, "Nice way to celebrate Halloween, Macy."

"What're we doing here?" Chip asked.

"To pay our respects to the dead." Macy replied, turning to the five kids.

"What happened?" Chip inquired, "Did somebody die here?"

Sara spoke up, "Wait." She took off the 'head' of her alien costume, "Is this where...?" She grinned, "It is, isn't it? That's where that bus-"

"Shut up, Sara." Macy snapped.

"The Halloween School Bus Massacre." Chip breathed, looking over the rocky edge.

"Just don't call it that." Macy ordered.

"What's she talkin' about?" Schrader asked, sounding weary.

"It's this awesome town legend." Sara replied, sounding exciting, "There's this bus full of crazy-"

"Jesus! Will you just shut up and let me tell the damn story?" Macy yelled, her voice echoing through the quarry.

Sara looked ticked off. Regan couldn't blame her. Macy was unbearable.

"...You said a bad word." Rhonda muttered, sounding like a child.

Macy rolled her eyes. Then, she straightened and began to tell the tragic tale:

"It happened 30 years ago, on a late Halloween afternoon. The school bus was on its usual route. But this wasn't your typical school bus, and these weren't your typical kids. There were eight of them, and they were different. Troubled. Disturbed. Every day, parents put their dirty secrets on this bus, to be driven to a school miles outside of town. But that day, the driver took a different route."

Regan wasn't normally the emotional type, but this story was making her heart lurch. She imagined eight kids sitting in their seats, all dressed up for Halloween, oblivious to their fates. She didn't know what would happen yet, but she was sure it wouldn't be a happy ending.

"And instead of taking the students home, he drove the bus to an abandoned rock quarry."

Oh, God.

"_This_ rock quarry."

Regan closed her eyes.

What the kids didn't know was that over the years, their parents had become exhausted. Embarrassed. And they were willing to do anything to ease their burden. So one day, the parents approached the bus driver and made him an offer. With the money they collected together, they asked him to do the unthinkable. It _almost_ worked perfectly."

Macy didn't get into the details, but there was no need to. A school bus had been parked here. Now, there wasn't. And the students definitely weren't brought back home. There was only one other way out.

"The driver was never heard from again. As for the bus, some say it sank so deep that it couldn't be found. Others say the town just didn't want it to be found. For all we know, it's still down there, and so are those kids."

Silence swallowed the teens for a few minutes. Macy's words echoed through the night air. Regan felt that corndog from lunch threatened to come out.

Finally, Sara broke the silence, "You are _so_ full of shit."

Regan cracked a smile. Someone had to say that, she was just sad it hadn't been her.

"Really?" Macy smirked, "Then I guess you won't mind being first."

"First what?" Sara asked, looking annoyed.

Macy grinned, "Eight victims, eight jack-o-lanterns." She walked towards the trolley, "Each one representing a lost soul. So," She turned to her comrades, "We're gonna leave them by the side of the lake as an offering to those who died."

"...Oh." Sara said.

"That's nice." Regan spoke for the first time since they left the house.

Macy shrugged, "So?"

"You don't do 'nice'." Regan reported bluntly.

"Nice is one thing. Respect is another." Macy retorted calmly, "If you don't want to pay your respects to poor unfortunate children who drowned in mud, go ahead and leave."

Regan did consider taking her leave...for a minute. Then, Macy's words sunk in. She'd heard bits and pieces of the legend, but she'd never heard the full story before. What if Macy was actually telling the truth? If she was, Regan would be doing something disrespectful and just plain cruel. She didn't even want to imagine what it must be like, being a water-logged cadaver, forgotten and alone, no one caring about your premature death.

Besides, she couldn't leave Rhonda. Without Regan present to keep her in line, Macy would take out her revenge on the milk incident on the 'witch'. Regan would never forgive herself if she walked out on her friend now.

The punk girl sighed and rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'll stay."

Rhonda beamed, and that kind of made up for it.


	3. Chapter 3: All Hallow's Swap

Chapter All Hallow's Swap

"Where the hell are they?" Regan angrily asked to no one in particular. The elevator that had brought them to lake could only take three at a time, so Schrader, Macy, and Sara had gone first. Chip, Regan, and Rhonda had followed. But after Rhonda had warned the boy not to blow out a jack-o-lantern, he'd simply disappeared. A portion of Regan hoped that he'd finally wet himself and go home, but they would've heard the elevator ascend; that thing creaked louder than an Egyptian tomb.

Rhonda shrugged, sitting cross-legged in the dirt with a pumpkin on her lap.

Regan glanced at her before sighing, "I guess I should go look for them. Their parents will shoot me if I show up without their kids. Wait here."

Rhonda nodded. The punk girl only hoped she'd listened and walked away.

"Wait." Regan turned around, and a small carved pumpkin was shoved in her hands. She shared a small smile with Rhonda before nodding in thanks and walked into the fog. She was relieved Rhonda had given her the pumpkin: now, not only did she have protection, but she could use it as a lantern as well. It was comforting to know that she had a tool against the shadows.

The place was downright creepy, Regan had to admit that. It was freezing, for one thing, and the air was thick with the stench of rotting vegetation and mud. The girl coughed and slid the collar of her 'straight-jacket' over her mouth and nose, "Schrader!"

No reply. Regan sighed and yelled a second time, "Chip! Sara! Where the hell are you?"

Again, nothing. Regan her cloudy-gray eyes and prepared to return to Rhonda.

A shriek made her jolt and nearly drop her jack-o-lantern. The holler echoed through the chasm, leaving behind a sense of despair. Just like that, Regan knew whose scream it was. Clutching the pumpkin to her chest, Regan raced back the way she'd come. Another wail prompted her to speed up, "I'M COMING!"

By the time she skidded to a stop, the screaming had stopped and been replaced with a chain of whimpers. She noticed three figures and bit back a yelp. They looked like zombies: torn, dark clothes, chains, and disturbing visages. Rhonda was crawling away from them on all fours, her witch hat gone.

"Rhonda!" Regan knelt down, wrapping an arm around her friend. She tried to hush her, but it was no use; Rhonda was terrified.

"Guys!" A familiar male voice called. Both girls turned around. Regan did this out of fear, but Regan was ready to spring into action. One of the zombies took off its face, revealing...

"Schrader?" Regan gawked.

The two other zombies followed his example, though they did it grudgingly. Unsurprisingly, it was Sara and Macy. Chip got to his feet; his shirt and face had been painted crimson, and some kind of sausage was wrapped around his shoulders. That's when it hit Regan: this had all been a prank. Her hands curled into bitter fists.

"Are...ARE YOU ALL DEAD?" Rhonda shrieked.

"Rhonda," Schrader said gently, "Calm down. It was all just a trick." He held up his mask as he edged closer to her, "Look, none of this is real. It was all just a trick." He sat down next to Rhonda, whose whimpered had raised in volume. "A bad joke." He finished, looking at the brunette apologetically.

"I'd say it was a pretty good one." Macy remarked.

Regan bared her teeth at her while Schrader did the glaring. For a pretty boy, he wasn't bad at it. "Shut up." He demanded tiredly, like nothing would give him greater pleasure than her losing her voice. He turned back to Rhonda, whose hands were rubbing the back of her head. "Here, here, here. Let me see." He eyed the injury while Chip, looking bashful, began to walk up to them. Macy stopped him and pushed him back, looking very pissed off.

"Does it hurt?" Schrader asked.

Rhonda nodded and buried her face in his chest, weeping in fright. The boy obviously hadn't expected it, but after a second, he lay his hand on her back. Just like that, Regan forgave him.

He turned to the trio standing, "Go pack everything up. We're leaving."

"Says who?" Macy asked, arching an eyebrow.

Regan jumped to her feet and tried to lunge at her. Chip and Macy grabbed her arms, just barely holding her back. "Macy!" Schrader snapped, clearly exasperated, "She's scared out of her mind. What else do you want?"  
Macy clearly didn't like the idea, but after a pause, she turned to Sara and Chip, "Let's go."

"I'm coming along." Regan said, "The faster all the stuff's packed, the sooner we can leave." She shot Schrader a small smile, flashing a _Thank you_. He nodded and continued to comfort Rhonda.

Moments later, Regan stuffed Macy's angel costume in a bag while Sara did the same with hers and Schrader's. Chip noticed something at the shore, "This one's still lit."  
Regan turned around, puzzled. Indeed, there was one of Rhonda's jack-o-lanterns resting on the dirty sand. Macy stepped forward and kicked it in the water. Regan froze, her jaw dropping. Immediately, weird creaking noises set her at unease. The others took no notice. Chip asked, "If this was all a trick, how did the school bus get here?"

Regan glanced at the half of the filthy school bus sitting on the surface as Macy responded, "That part's true."

"What happened to the bus driver?"

"I don't _know_, Chip!" Macy rolled her eyes, then stopped, "What?"

"I didn't say anything." Chip murmured. Just like that, Regan knew they were in trouble.

Macy looked almost scared for a second, then resumed grabbing her things, "I'm not in the mood."

"It wasn't me." Chip replied.

"It's true." Regan piped up, "He didn't say a word."

"Well, then, who did?" Macy snapped, turning to face the punk girl. Regan opened her mouth to retort when weird giggling met her ears. Everyone started looking around, looking for the source of the laughter. The voices continued, growing steadily louder.

* * *

Schrader and Rhonda sat near the elevator, waiting for the other to return.

A chorus of screams made Rhonda sit up, her eyes wide. She thought of Regan and felt her body go stiff with solicitude. "Not again," Schrader sighed, thinking it was another prank. As the screams continued, though, he wasn't so sure. He echoed Regan's command from earlier, "Wait here."  
He rose and jogged towards the noises.

Schrader ran through the mist, looking for his comrades when a body toppled on his, yelping. He landed on his back as a high-pitched voice said his name. He looked at Macy's fear-stricken face as she helped him up.

"We have to go, we have to get out of here." She urged, trying to push him along.

"Hey, calm down-"

"We have to GO!"

"Look, Macy-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" Macy cried, tears trickling down her cheeks, "We heard voices. There are other people here."

As if to back her story up, the ghostly voices resumed. Everyone looked around, their hearts pounding with fear. Finally, they all turned to the source: the lake. The five kids watched in horror as figures crawled out of the water, never stopping their taunting.

Before they knew it, they were face to face with the eight undead children, all coated in mud and dead leaves.

The five screamed as loudly as banshees and raced in the opposite direction. The ghoulish giggling and speaking never stopped, which meant that the undead children were in close pursuit.

The chains on Sara's costume suddenly went tight, sending her sprawling on the ground. Macy turned to her friend. For the first time since she'd known her, Regan thought she saw something genuine in the blonde's eyes: concern and fear. More chortling, and something dragged Sara back at a frightening speed, "_Help me! Help me!_"  
Macy screamed.

"_Noooo!_" Sara shrieked, disappearing in the fog. Macy bolted to her aid, but Schrader knew it was a lost cause. He gripped her arm and yanked her away, "No, come on!"

Chip, Macy, and Schrader ran for their lives, not looking back.

Regan ran in the opposite direction. Towards the zombies.

She arrived just in time to the creatures looming over Sara, leaning in for the kill-

"DON'T," She yelled, "Touch her!"

Sara looked up in disbelief while the zombies stopped and looked at her. Even though their eyes were gone (the research on decomposition had clearly said that the eyes were the first things to go), Regan had the uncanny sensation of being watched.

For a few seconds, silence dominated the place. Then, a kid dressed like Dracula stepped forward, eying Regan with interest. Then it said in a quiet, creaky (yet masculine) voice, "Go away."  
Regan didn't know what had brought her here. She wasn't really this brave. Maybe it was just the adrenaline. Or maybe she just didn't want to feel guilty about running away from someone with a chance. Whatever the reason, she found herself saying, "We will. Sorry for bothering you." She turned to the girl lying on her back, "Sara, come on."

Sara tried to move, but a kid with a paper bag on his/her head gripping her shoulder with a bone-cracking grip.

Regan sighed, "Let her go."

"Are you her friend?" Dracula asked. Regan couldn't help pick up the trace of envy when he said the word 'friend'.

"No," She admitted, seeing no point in lying, "I don't really like her all that much."

"Then leave." Dracula ordered, "You don't look like you disrespected Samhain, so we're letting you off the hook. But the rest of them die."

"No," Regan repeated, more angrily this time, "Look, I'm not particularly fond of these kids, but they don't deserve to die."

The kids looked appalled. They looked at each other in shock, then back at her. Dracula seemed to ponder over this statement before turning to his friends. They seemed to know what he was thinking and muttered in agreement. He turned back to Regan, "Alright. We'll give you a deal."

_Oh, boy._Regan had seen enough horror movies to know that it wouldn't be good. Still, she braced herself, "Okay. What?"

"We'll let this one go," Dracula said as two of the undead kids helped Sara to her feet, "And your friends can walk away unharmed."

Regan arched a dark brow, "Yeah, sure." She was seventeen for crying out loud. She'd never fall for a sappy happy ending.

"You have our word," Dracula assured her, sounding slightly offended that she didn't believe them, "And the dead can't lie."

Regan folded her arms, "And what do you want in exchange? My first-born kid?"

That idea actually amused the zombies. They chuckled hollowly and shaking their head. Dracula wiped his eyes under his mask and replied, "No, nothing like that." Regan guessed he was grinning, "You take their place."

Regan blinked, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Dracula retorted, "If you take this girl's place and allow us to kill you in her stead, then her and the rest of those hooligans can walk away."

"Swap." A tall kid chimed in.

"Swap!" The kid with the paper back yelled.

Dracula smirked, "Make your decision."

Regan stood there, still as a statue.


	4. Chapter 4: All Hallow's Friend

Chapter 4: All Hallow's Friend

_What should I do? What should I do? What in the hell should I do?_

The words whirled in Regan's mind as her eyes bulged. She'd never felt so frightened. This was like a very dangerous game of chess: if you lose the game, you lose your life.

Surely, the noble decision would've been to agree. Allow the zombies to rip her limb from limb and dump her mutilated corpse somewhere to rot. That would assure the safety of her comrades. If this was a movie, Regan would've courageously accepted and allowed the kids to pounce on her and tear her organs out._  
_

But this wasn't a movie.

Regan had never lost a limb, but she'd been bitten by a variety of pets, and once, the entire nail of her pinky came off. That had been painful, but being ripped apart? Who would ever want to die like that? It was probably one of the worst ways to go: messy, horribly painful, and long. She thought about the people she'd be leaving behind: her father, for one. Oh, God. Harry Bates was already sensitive enough as it was. If his daughter went missing, he'd probably pull the plug on himself. And Rhonda, who'd never had a friend before her.

_Friend._

Regan remembered how the vampire boy had had an undertone of envy when he said that word. Just like that, a new door opened for her. Compared to these kids, she, Rhonda, and the others lived in Paradise. These children had nothing except death, each other, their own decomposing bodies, and this quarry. Did they know _why_ they'd almost been murdered? They must have; it explained why no search parties had ever been held. They'd been viewed upon as mistakes, and best left for dead.

Maybe that explained their apparently-violent tendencies. Regan wouldn't have been surprised if their families had never shown them affection or grown attached to them. Plus, they'd been lying in the mud for thirty years, forgotten by everyone.

Regan knew what to do. It was risky, but it was better than the deal she'd been offered.

"No." The word echoed through the foggy night like a siren. Even though she couldn't see their eyes (which royally freaked her out), she got the feeling of eight pairs of eyes blinking at the same time.

Finally, a kid dressed like a skeleton croaked, "...What?"

"I won't swap."

Sara clearly didn't like her answer. That meant she wasn't saved, and the zombies were going to cut them up like California rolls. She collapsed in a heap on the floor, but no one noticed.

"But-but you have to!" A boy in a rabbit costume rasped, shocked, "We'll kill you all if you don't!"

"I have something better to offer you."

The kids groaned in excitement, looking at each other anxiously. Dracula voice their thoughts, "More deaths? You'll go back and trick more people into coming here?"

"Uh, no." Though Regan had to admit, it was tempting to do that to Ms. Bollocks.

"Then, what?" The tall kid whined.

"If you let us all go, I promise I'll come back three times a week...and spend time with you."

The kids stared at the robust girl like she'd just claimed to be Marie Antoinette. Dracula spoke, "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Nope." Regan shook her head.

"You think we want to _spend time _with you?" Dracula snarled, "We're waterlogged cadavers! We exist to terrorize anyone who enters here!"

"No. You don't." Regan folded her arms, "You exist because you don't have any other choice, just like anyone else. I'll bet some of you have tried to rest in peace and failed. Am I right?"

A couple of the kids tucked their hands behind their backs or in their pockets. They didn't reply, but Regan could tell that her words had plunged in deep.

"You're lonely and bored." Regan's tone softened; she usually saved that tone for Rhonda, "You've been stuck here for thirty years, with no connection to the outside world. I'm sure you're curious about your town, how it's changed, who've left, who's moved in. But there's no way you can know because no one ever comes down here.

"Well, that'll change. _I'll_ come. I'll come over three nights every week, like I said. When I have vacations, I'll be able to visit more often. I'll bring you candy, toys, books, anything you want. I'll tell you everything I can learn about recent events, and if there are people you want to know about, I'll do my best to dig up some dirt on them. I can bring in some clothes, if you're interested in fashion. Hell, I'll even bring you some fresh clothes if you want a change in wardrobe! I'll sing songs and dance, though I must warn you, I can't twirl to save my life. If you want, I'll just sit down and listen to whatever you have to say. If I can, I'll help you out.

"I'll be your friend." Regan concluded simply, taking a breath. She met the gaze of each and every undead child, waiting for their answer.


	5. Chapter 5: All Hallow's Depature

Chapter 5: All Hallow's Departure

Schrader, Macy, and Chip reached the elevator door, clinging to the bars like their lives depended on it. In a way, it did. Chip whimpered while Schrader tried the handle; the door was locked. He looked down at the long-haired girl, who was sitting cross-legged on the elevator floor, staring at a jack-o-lantern like it contained all the answers she needed.

"Rhonda, open the gate!"

"Let us in, please!" Chip cried, trying to open the door in vain.

"Open the gate!" Macy chimed in.

Slowly, Rhonda looked up blankly at the three terrified teens.

"Open the gate, _please_." Schrader begged.

A few meters away, eight figures trudged through the fog, making terrifying squawking noises every step of the way. Rhonda seemed to understand, despite her blank expression. Calmly, she put down the jack-o-lantern and reached for the key. Chip stared at the approaching figures with quick breaths as Rhonda rose. For a second, it looked like she _would_ open the door and save them...when she realized that Regan wasn't with them.

They'd left her behind to save themselves. The only person who'd ever shown her kindness was gone, thanks to these cowards.

She pressed the 'UP' button.

"No!" Schrader yelled, "Rhonda, look at me."

"What're you doing?" Macy screamed.

"It's not a trick," The tall boy said desperately, "It's real!"

She continued to stare coldly at the three as the elevator began its ascend. Schrader and Macy looked ready to cry while Chip just looked panicked, "Where's she going?"  
"Please..." Macy whimpered.

"**_RHONDA_**!" They screamed as Rhonda waved goodbye. Schrader kept yelling at her to come back, but it was no use. They turned around to face the zombies, who were so close now, they could smell their rotting flesh.

Macy shrieked while the three got ready for the worst...

"Guys!"

The screaming stopped abruptly. The kids didn't know these things could talk. Then, they realized the voice was somehow familiar. Schrader, Macy, and Chip stood rooted to the spot as the corpses parted, making way for a ninth figure. They recognized her spiky hair in a second.

"_Regan?_" Chip breathed, his eyes as wide as a lemur's.

"They're not gonna hurt us." Regan said bluntly, rubbing her sore neck. The trio were astounded at how casual she was acting. They didn't know who scared her most: Rhonda, or Regan. Probably Rhonda, because the teens were sure that the zombies would've attacked them if it weren't for the punk girl.

"Regan, what's going on?" Schrader asked, his voice shaky.

"Relax, dude." She replied, "I made a deal with them. Nobody's dying tonight." Her statement was met with generally positive mutterings.

"Where's Sara?" Macy cried to the zombies, "What've you done to her?"

"Oh." Dracula spoke, "Her. Yes, she's right here." He and Regan turned to the tall kid dressed like a demon, who stepped forward. The trio were horrified and relieved at seeing an unconscious Sara in his withering arms.

"Drop her now!" Macy snapped.

He did. She fell like a sack of potatoes on the ground. Regan face-palmed.

"So...we're free to go?" Chip asked nervously.

"Yes," Dracula nodded, "You should be _extremely grateful_. If it weren't for Regan, you'd all be dead by now."

"You didn't..." Schrader stepped forward, "Regan, you're not taking our place. It's all or nothing-"

"I know!" Regan sounded slightly annoyed now, "Didn't I just say nobody's gonna die?"

"...Alright." Schrader nodded, looking relieved.

"Now the big question is," Regan pondered, "Is how do we get out of here?" She pointed, "The elevator's gone."

"There's another way." Dracula said. He pointed a filthy hand. They all looked in that direction and saw a very rocky road leading back to town.  
"Well," Schrader, still the gentlemen, turned to the zombies, "Thank you again for...you know, not killing us. And thanks for bringing back Sara."

"Don't thank us." A kid dressed like Raggedy Anne snapped, tilting her head at the only breather next to them, "Thank her."

"Right." Schrader nodded, "Thanks, Regan."

Regan just nodded and turned to the zombies. Her face and voice softened, like she was speaking to children, "See you tomorrow night, okay?" The kids nodded perkily, and one dwarf (a kid barely three feet tall) stepped forward and wrapped his/her arms around Regan's knees (that was as high as he/she could reach).

It was difficult to tell who looked more surprised: Regan, or the three kids standing several feet away. After a moment, though, the punk girl smiled a little and returned the embrace.

* * *

"Well?" Regan asked smugly as the five hiked up the path.

"What?" Macy snapped, combing her tangled hair with her fingers.

"Don't I deserve a 'thank you'?"

Macy groaned.

"Come on, Macy." Schrader chimed in severely, Sara in his arms, "She _did_save our lives. The least she deserves is thanks."

"You're not helping, Schrader!" Macy snapped, glaring at Regan. When her glower was returned with a snobbish grin, the blonde sighed in exasperation, "_Fine!_ Thank you very, very much Regan. If it weren't for you, we'd all have been zombie chow. There, ya happy?"

"Exceedingly." Came the reply.

They stepped in silence for a bit. Then, Chip turned to Regan, curiosity gleaming in his eyes, "So, what did you promise the zombies?"

Regan smiled, "That I visit them three times a week."

Schrader and Macy looked back at her with arched brows.

"What?" Regan shrugged, "Everybody needs friends."

* * *

By the time the group got back to the neighborhood, the sky had gone from black to indigo. Sara regained her consciousness by the time they were saying goodnight, and then and there, the band swore never to tell anyone what had happened that night. Who would believe them?

Before going to her house, Regan stopped at Rhonda's house, where the jack-o-lanterns were still lit and in their proper places. From what Schrader had told her, Rhonda had left them there to die. Even though the pranksters didn't understand why she'd done it, Regan did. The brunette had thought that the trio had left Regan behind and responded out of anger.

Rubbing her eyes and yawning, Regan reached the front door and knocked.

When no one answered, she knocked again, louder this time, "Rhonda! It's me."

For a second, there was no reply. Then, a tiny voice whispered, "R...Regan?"

"Yep. Come on, open up."

The door swung open. Rhonda had showered and changed in a monogrammed sweater and an ankle-long skirt. She stared at Regan with wide eyes. The two friends stood there, looking at each other. Then, Rhonda broke down crying and hugged the punk girl tightly. Regan patted the girl's back, whispering, "There, there."


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

For the next few weeks, true to her word, Regan Bates visited the school bus victims three times a week, staying two hours during each stopover. Rhonda offered her red wagon, which was greatly appreciated. Each time at sundown, Regan tugged the buggy through the streets. It was always loaded with stuff: candy, baked goods, toys, board games, and blankets. When she returned, Regan carried different tokens: dead flowers, a bracelet, and a rock that looked like Katy Perry.

Each time, when her friend came to take the wagon, Rhonda begged to be taken along.

"Not right now," Regan always replied gently but firmly, "They're still getting used to company. But I promise: in time."

Since she was using it regularly, the punk girl made sure that the elevator functioned properly. She oiled the hinges, consulted a manual to check on the electrical circuits, and even put two plastic jack-o-lanterns at the entrance.

For the first couple of visits, things were awkward, as they always were with acquaintances. The kids spent the time talking about the weather, and their favorite parts of town. In addition, the zombies were hesitant about trusting Regan. They kept expecting her to break her word and stop visiting them. It was understandable, considering their own parents had paid the bus driver to do away with them. But eventually, when the girl continued to visit them without fail, the undead children began to rely that Regan wouldn't walk out on them.

By the tenth visit, things had loosened up. They played all kinds of games like charades, tag, hide-and-seek, and I-Spy. She told them about how her parents divorced when she was fifteen, and in return, each kid told her about his/her background. Each of them had been born with some mental condition, but thanks to the school they'd attended, they'd been on the path to getting better. But they still hadn't been normal, and their parents had been beyond embarrassed. Some of them even recalled never seeing pictures of themselves on the wall, their parents' way of shrouding their existence to visitors.

By the twelfth appointment, Regan asked them what they looked like under their masks. Jake (Dracula) had hesitated, warning her that it wasn't a pretty sight. The girl had insisted, and finally, they took turns revealing their faces. Regan had paled to the color of frozen milk, but she still forced a smile and said, "It's not_ that_ bad." That earned her a huge amount of affection from the kids. They'd expected her to scream and run.

Two months passed before anyone confronted her about it. That person happened to be (surprise, surprise) Macy.

She scoffed, "Like you're really hanging out with dead people."

"First of all, they're not dead. They're undead." Regan correctly hotly, "And second, they have names, okay?"

"Who cares?" Macy retorted, "I bet you just sit around the forest for two hours, then come back."

"I do not!"

"Then prove it!" Macy grinned, "When're you visiting them next?"

"Tomorrow evening."

"Great," Macy challenged, "Me, Schrader, and Sara will come with you. If you can prove your little story, then I'll do your homework until summer vacation."

Regan smiled, "And if I lose?"

Macy's cold smile matched the punk's, "You do anything I tell you until summer _ends_."

Regan shrugged, "Fine." She spat in the palm of her hand and held it out, ready to shake. Macy grimaced, "I'll take your word for it."

* * *

The next evening, Regan resisted a cackle as she carefully folded the freshly-washed blankets in the wagon. Macy, Schrader, and Sara walked towards her. Sara was dressed in an aquamarine shirt and jeans, Schrader wore a Chicago Bulls sweatshirt and trousers, and Macy had a white tank and beige skirt on. With her kohl-rimmed eyes, Jack Skellington shirt, and black tights, she looked like some kind of exotic, dangerous flower compared to them.

"Hey, Regan." Schrader saluted politely.

"'Sup." Regan cracked her neck and fingered her shrunken-heads necklace, "You ready?"

The trio nodded, Macy looking overly-confident. Regan kept her expression blank as she pulled the buckboard along. To ease the tension, Schrader asked her questions about the undead children.

"So...how old are they?"

"The oldest kids are Lisa, Jake, and Eddie. In order, they're the ragdoll, the vampire, and the tall guy. They were all out age when they died. The youngest is that short kid, Jamie. He was about six."

"Ah, cool." Schrader nodded, "And uh, what do you do with them?"

Regan's stony mask cracked. She smiled a little, "Lots of stuff. We talk, play games, and eat a lot of junk food. They eat like I can pluck food out of the air like a magician."

Macy and Sara shared a disbelieving look while Schrader and Regan continued to talk. The boy couldn't believe it, but he was actually starting to think that this wasn't some big bluff. The girl replied bluntly, and the answers were so different from what he'd expected, Schrader doubted she'd made it all up.

Finally, they reached the rock quarry. Since Regan had worked on the escalator, all four of them could get in. As it easily descended into the pit, Macy folded her arms, ready to laugh in Regan's face when no zombie showed up. Once the hoist touched the leafy ground, Macy burst out first.

"Alright," She held her arms out, "Where are they?" She raised her voice as a figure rose from the fog, "Come out, come out, kids!"  
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Macy frowned and stared at Regan to make sure she was in front of her. In fact, the punk was biting her lip to keep from laughing while Schrader and Sara looked ready to pass out. Macy felt cold breath on her ear. Very slowly, she turned around.

Dracula, still dressed like the count, was standing there, a large dandelion obviously meant for Regan in his dirty hands. He wasn't wearing his mask, which made him a thousand times more terrifying than on Halloween. His eyes were gone, and his skin was shriveled-looking and turning black. His lips were gone, and he had a bad gash on his temple that looked like it'd been sewn shut. He recognized Macy and smirked, "Hello."

"Hey, Jake." Regan greeted casually.

Macy fainted on the spot.

* * *

And so, Macy lost the bet. She was forced to do Regan's homework for the rest of the school year, much to her annoyance. Now, she believed the girl 100%, but something else changed. The blonde hated to admit it, but she found herself actually **respecting** Regan now.

The punk girl had been telling the truth. She'd really been visiting eight tragedy victims six hours a week to give them the attention they'd desperately needed. Macy wasn't sure what astounded her the most: the fact that Regan did this without asking for anything in return, or that she'd really kept her word. Macy knew for a fact that she'd have said/done anything to survive that night, even marry one of them, but if she'd had to return to the place she'd almost died in, she'd have shot herself first.

A truce appeared between the two girls. On the outside, Macy still taunted Regan, but she no longer poked fun at her personal life or did something particularly bothersome. They kept out of each other's way. Macy continued being the perfect little blonde that everybody worshiped, but she never forgot what Regan taught her: not everybody does things for their own benefit. Some just perform actions for the sake of others.

As for Regan, she continued to visit the rock quarry. It wasn't a chore for her at all. She enjoyed being with these kids. They were her playmates, her conversationalists, her...best friends. Rhonda eventually tagged along, and though the undead children accepted her, they never forgot that Regan had been the one to show them friendship.

* * *

_"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that._

_Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."_

_-Martin Luther King Jr._


End file.
